


A Ringing Love

by Le_Serenity



Category: Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Complete, F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:17:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_Serenity/pseuds/Le_Serenity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Serena is working at Shields Inc., and in result to a series of regular phone calls with the president, Darien Shields, she finds herself falling in love with a man whose voice is the only thing she knows</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Ringing Love

Story: A Ringing Love

Chapter: ONESHOT

Anime: Sailor Moon

Pairing: Serena/Darien

Rated: Teen

Author's Notes: GOSH! This was like 16 pages on Word, and it took me forever to write. I had to keep coming back to it. I was inspired to write this oneshot when I revisited the oneshot 'Her Master's Voice'. The storyline is similar when it comes to the fact of the phone calls and all, but I did make it into my own. I did let the author know of 'Her Master's Voice' about me writing this oneshot so no worries there. I want to thank the author for inspiring me to write this incredibly, lengthy oneshot, and I hope everyone will enjoy it or will at least attempt to read it all.

Never before had a week been as tiring as this one. I could only thank God that it was Friday, and I was about to head home after I finished this paper for my boss. Once it was complete, I quickly stamped my boss's signature, reading: Mrs. Wendy N. Wright. I tucked the paper in its folder, and placed it in the mail box outside my office. I went back into my office to gather my things when the phone's annoyingly loud ring echoed throughout the room. I heaved a sigh as I dragged myself over to the phone.

I clicked the button, positioning the phone next to my ear and holding it with my shoulder. I began picking up my things. "Hello, this is Mrs. Wright's office. This is Ms. Silver speaking. What can I do for you?"

"I will never understand why professional greetings have to be so lengthy," a deep, masculine voice drawled out in annoyance.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, sir, but what I can I do to help you?" I asked, ignoring his comment. I was planning on going out with my best friend and cousin, Mina, tonight, and I didn't want this man to jeopardize my blissful mood.

"I need to speak to Wendy," he answered, like it was the most common answer in the world. I looked at the time.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Mrs. Wright left for the weekend about a half an hour ago," I said, hating the fact that she decided to leave early today of all days.

"Look, Ms. Silver – was it? -, I don't care that she left a half an hour ago. I need to speak with her, and I need to speak with her now," he said sharply into the phone.

"No offense, sir, but I don't have the luxury of carrying around her cell or house number or anything like that so I can just call her up when people like you need to speak with her so urgently. Though, I can certainly take a message, and remind her to get back to you first thing Monday morning." I know what I said wasn't exactly professional, but my stomach was getting angry at me, and looking at the time, I was going to be late.

There was a pause on the other end. "Ms. Silver, I have a strong feeling that you're unaware of the person you're speaking to, am I right?"

Oh, no. My body froze. He was right. I had no idea who I was speaking to, and I'm not acting the way I should be over the phone. How unprofessional of me. Knowing my luck, he was probably the president of the company, and I was screwed.

"Um, no, sir," I mumbled into the receiver.

Another pause came from the other end. "This is Darien Shields, the president of this company. Do you understand that I have every right to take your job, and hand it to a homeless person because of your attitude?"

I mouth twitched in panic. "Um, I'm so sorry, Mr. Shields. I didn't know it was you. I apologize."

"I thought so. Now, I need to speak with your boss no matter where she is. I need the Morrison files," his voice sounded even more irritated than before, making me wonder if my job was still safe.

As soon as the words reached my ears, a brilliantly bright light bulb went off in my head. "Oh! Yes, sir, no need to worry. I can get those to you. I was literally just working on them. Hold, please!" I dashed out to the mailbox, grabbing the folder in a flash. I quickly rushed back over to the phone, picking it up. "Here they are, sir. Would you like me to fax them?"

There was a sigh. "Yes, that would be nice of you. You got a piece of paper and a pen?"

"Yes, sir," I said, scrambling for the items on my desk. "Go ahead."

He recited the number to me as I wrote it down. I went over to the machine, cursing the day for it not being any faster. Finally, the stack of papers went through, and I was smiling. "They're on their way, sir."

"It took long enough," he said rudely.

I huffed. "Now, look here, Mr. Shields, I don't truly care right at this moment who you are because I tired from the long week, and I'm late for dinner. I understand you're a busy man, but your employees are busy too. It would be nice if people like you would just cut us some slack on a Friday night." I glared at the wall in front of me until the understanding of the words and who I did just say them to fell down like a hundred ton boulder fell on my shoulders.

There was a long pause from the president while I faintly heard some muffled laughs in the background. There was a click until his voice came back, sounding closer than before. "Thank you for sharing that with everyone else, Ms. Silver."

My words were stuck in my throat. I never once thought of the chance of him being on speaker phone! "Sir… I-I…"

"What's your private line number?" he demanded harshly.

"My-My what?"

"Your private line? Do you have a cell phone number?"

"Oh, um, yes!" I said, telling him my cell number twice so he got it.

"We'll talk about this later." Click.

I took the phone away from my ear and looked at it. Was my job okay still? Should I pack up my things so I won't have to come back for them when he fires me? Wait, what if I won't be allowed back? What if I get banished from the grounds? Is that possible? Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I collect a few belongings of mine, locked the door, and left, not knowing if I would be back on Monday.

I drove the familiar route back to my small apartment. When I opened the door, I wondered if I would have to give this up to once my paychecks stopped. I might have to move back home. Oh, wouldn't my parents love seeing that. If only I had done what I was expected to do. I ran my hand through my straight, silver-blonde hair, trying to get a hold of myself. I could very well just be over thinking everything. He could have just been frustrated about something, and took it out on me. I don't know anything on his end.

I threw my purse onto the little table in the mini-foyer. I was about to get some coffee when doorbell rang. I looked over my shoulder, wondering who it could be. "Coming!" I shouted, heading towards the door. I looked through the peep hole, seeing my cousin standing upside down. I opened the door, hoping she wasn't mad. "Mina!" I pulled her into a hug.

She returned it, and then pulled away, going into my aparment. "Have you been here this entire time?"

"No, I'm sorry, Mina. I was caught up at work. Believe me, I wanted to leave," I said.

She tried keeping her serious face, but it broke out into a smile. "That's okay. I figured something like that happened. I came to pick you up instead." She paused, looking at my outfit. "Oh, so you literally just got home. I see you haven't had the time to change."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, that's good because it means I get to help pick out your clothes!" she said, beaming and already heading into my bedroom. I heard her going through my closet, mumbling about having too much business suits. Eventually, she came out holding a leather black mini skirt and a hot pink sleeveless top with a jacket to match the skirt. Once she sat them on my bed, she went back into my closet to get a pair of knee high leather boots.

"And what am I going to wear that too exactly?" I asked, eyeing the outfit hesitantly, "And what's with all the leather?"

"Men love women in leather, Rena. Have I taught you nothing?" Mina said, "We're going clubbing tonight."

I thought my eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. "What? We are not!"

Mina turned to look at me, her hand on her hip. "Serenity Silver, you have not had a relationship since high school, and it's about time you got a man in your life. Now, we are going to hit the clubs tonight, and I will not hear any complaints, understood?"

"But you said we were going to a nice restaurant…"

She smiled. "Do you really think you would have agreed to come if I would have told you the truth?" I didn't answer. "Exactly. Now, go change!"

I groaned, grabbing the unwanted garments, and headed into the bathroom. When I came back out, Mina eyes me like a piece of candy. "Mhm, yes. I do have good taste."

"Well, you do design clothes."

She nodded with a grin. "That I do. Let's go!"

With that comment, she whisked me away downtown to what she said was the hottest club of the year. After our IDs were checked, we walked inside. Immediately, my ears were ringing from the loud music, and my eyes began to water from the smoky air.

Mina reached for me hand, pulling me toward the bar. "Serena, you really are too sensitive."

"So what? I never really liked clubs!" I had to scream for her to hear me. We reached the bar, and sat down. The bartended asked what we wanted, and I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to get.

Mina took my confused look as a hint. "Hit us up with a large fry and two mud slides, will you, hun?"

I looked over at her. "They serve fries here?"

Mina nodded. "Yeah. It's not just a club, Serena. Did you really think I was going to let you get drunk and send you off to have a great, mesmerizing one night stand with no food in your stomach?" She grinned wider at me. She was doing that a lot tonight.

"I'm not going to get drunk and I will certainly not go home with anyone but you!" I told her loudly.

She flicked her blonde hair behind her shoulder. "I'm sorry, dear, but I'm not a lesbian."

My mouth dropped, and she laughed. I smacked her shoulder lightly. "You know what I meant, idiot!"

About two hours later, my mind could barely process a thought. Curse that cousin of mine. Even in the state I was in, I knew what I was: totally and completely toasted. I was currently resting my head against the bar's counter, trying to keep my head from spinning. I had no clue where the heck Mina was. She was probably off dancing with some man. Suddenly, felt a vibration in my shirt where Mina told me to keep my phone since bringing a purse wasn't the best idea. I looked around to make sure no one was looking before I pulled it out of my top. An unknown flashed across the screen, but I answered it anyway.

"Helloooooo?" my voice drawled it out. There wasn't an answer. "Hellooo? Can I help yoooou?"

"Ms. Silver?" that amazing voice spoke, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine.

My eyes widened in surprise, and I sat up straighter. "Uh, boss? Is that you?"

"This is Darien Shields." He paused. "Are you at a club? It's incredibly loud."

"Hell yes!" I screamed into the phone.

I think I heard him clear his throat. "And… are you drunk, Ms. Silver?"

I cocked my head to the side. "Yeah, I think so…"

"Have you been drunk before, Ms. Silver?" the voice sounded disapproving.

"Ummmm… I don't remember." I looked around. "Hey, can we talk later? I wanna dance!"

"Ms. Silver, I think you should go home before you do something you'll regret-." I hung up, already stumbling onto the dance floor.

Monday came in a long, dreadful way. I hardly remembered Friday night, but I had a very clear visual of Saturday morning. It was pleasant at all. I managed to compose myself properly, and came to work still unsure if I had a job or not. Walking into my office, I sat my things down on my desk. Nothing looked wrong as I checked through my emails, and there wasn't a pink slip on my desk. I shrugged my shoulders as I began to get to work.

The buzzing of the intercom practically scared me to death. Alcohol always stayed in my system for at least a week, haunting me. Gosh, why did I let Mina take me to a club? Why? I tried clearing my head before I answered the intercom's wishes.

I clicked the button. "Yes, Mrs. Wright?"

"Ah, Ms. Silver, could I speak with you for a moment?" her voice came through clearly.

"Right away, ma'am." I was up and knocking in no time.

"Come in, Serena." I opened the door, seeing Mrs. Wright sitting in her chair with the phone held against her ear. Now, Mrs. Wright wasn't an unattractive woman for being in her late 40's. In fact, she looked rather fit for her age. I heard rumors that she went to the gym to work out during lunch, and that it the gym and eating healthy were major obsessions in her life, coming before her husband. She spoke a few words into the phone, and then motioned me forward. "It's for you."

I pointed at myself dumbly. "Me?" That's odd.

She nodded, holding out the phone. I took it. "You can stay in here while I go to the restroom."

I nodded in return, and after she left, I sat down in her comfy chair, putting the phone to my own ear. "Hello. This is Serena Silver speaking."

"Ms. Silver, hello," a smooth, oddly familiar spoke from the other end of the line.

I sat up straighter in my chair as if I was being watched. "Mr. Shields."

"How are you?" he asked politely.

"Just fine, sir, and yourself?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I can tell by your voice that you're feeling better?" That caught me off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"I called you Friday night, Ms. Silver. You didn't sound too pleasant or sober at all," he said, chuckling lightly. "I'll say I never talked to one of my employees when they were in that condition."

My face flushed a pale white. He had called while I was at the club and drunk? Oh, no. "Oh, sir, I'm so sorry you had… had to hear that. I truly, truly apologize. I don't remember talking to you at all."

"I'm not sure if I should understand where you're coming from with that or take it as an insult." I swear he was smiling from the sound of his voice.

"It's definitely not an insult, Mr. Shields," I told him, the truth in every word.

I heard him clear his throat. "Look, since I caught you when you're sober, I wanted to redo the phone call I had with you Friday night. I called to apologize for my own behaviors towards you. It was very… unlike me to act that way, especially towards a lady. I'm sorry."

He sounded sincere. "Well, I wasn't acting the way I should have been, especially towards my boss. I'm sorry too about my behavior as well as what happened when you called the first time. That was uncalled for, but more so that you had to hear me like that later on. I was utterly trashed to be honest. I want you to know that I don't normally do that. It was very unlike me."

"It's all right, Ms. Silver. I can relate," his deep chuckled flowed through the phone more clearly than I would think possible. I heard a few murmurs in the background, followed by his voice. "Sorry. I have to go." Then, he was gone without a word in from me. I placed the phone back in its receiver, only staring at it for a few seconds until I got up from the chair. I walked out of my boss's office at the same time she entered mine.

She smiled. "How was it?"

"It was fine, thanks." I sat back in my own chair. She nodded, going back into her office.

Later that night I was sitting in my living room watching Gilmore Girls when my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. It was my boss.

I slid open my Silver LG Shine phone, holding it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Ms. Silver." I was beginning to take a real liking to that sound. It was a lot better than the men at work's voices.

"Mr. Shields? What can I help you with?" I asked out of habit.

"Well, I'm trying to get ready for another meeting, but seeing as how your boss has left for the day, I had to contact you on your cell phone for the information I stupidly misplaced," he said.

I smiled. "Okay. What do you need?"

"What was the name of the man who was in charge of the Flamer's case?"

"It was Jonah Diggers," I answer, having to unfortunately turn my show on mute. I wasn't sure how long this call was going to take.

About fifteen minutes later, he got the information that he needed. I stared blankly at the screen, following the captions. Let me rephrase my earlier statement: It took ten minutes to give him the information he wanted, but for the past five, he's been speaking with someone, and I was waiting. I heard some shuffling on his end until I heard him speak to me.

"Sorry about that. I swear… some people are incapable of understanding the simplest processes. It's unbelievable." He sighed. "I'm guessing I interrupted Gilmore Girls for you, Ms. Silver?"

"Huh?"

He chuckled. "I have to go."

It didn't take him long to hang up, but it let me get back to my show, wondering how he could have known what I was watching. It was muted.

The next week passed with him calling almost everyday at work with questions, and then later that night with some more questions. I was beginning to get used to seeing his number flash across my cell phone's screen. It was Friday again, and I was about to leave for the weekend when my phone rang. I had a feeling who it was.

"Hey," I answered. Because of the frequent calls, we weren't as formal as before with each other.

"Hey. How are you?" he asked. I heard typing in the background.

"I'm fine, getting ready to leave. What's up?"

"What are you doing tonight? Do you have plans with your friends?"

I tried to think. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Well, I'm having this amazing dinner at my office tonight, and I thought you would like me to send a similar meal to your place."

My mouth already began to water. A few nights ago he had mentioned about his amazing chef, Nathan, saying how great his cooking was. I told him I wish I could try it out for myself and tell him how it really was. "Really? I'd love that. Finally, I can decide if you have good taste or not."

He chuckled. "Yes. I'll have it sent to your apartment at six, all right?"

I nodded even though he couldn't see it. "That sounds great. Thanks, Mr. Shields."

There was a pause. "Do you mind if I start calling you Serena?"

"I don't see why not," I said.

"Good. Then, please, don't call me Mr. Shields anymore. It makes me sound old."

I laughed. "Okay."

"Well, good night." As always, he hung up before I responded. I shut my phone, tucking it into my purse, turned off the lights, locked the door, and walked out. It was six by the time I got home, and there waiting at my door on a small silver tray was my dinner. I picked up the small note card resting beside it, reading its contents.

'Here's your meal: grilled chicken breast, garlic mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli – compliments of Mr. Shields. Enjoy,' I read. I slowly lifted the silver lid, my mouth watering at what the inside contained. I opened my door, picked up the platter, and took my victim inside to enjoy every crumb. After I finished my meal, I sent Darien a text, hoping he would get it.

'I approve of your taste buds. Thanks for the meal.' Sending the text, I went to my room to change into more comfort attire. I laid down on my couch to watch some TV, not even noticing when I dozed off.

It was Saturday morning and I was planning on spending the whole day with my friends. We girls were going shopping because Mina was getting married in two months. Meeting them at the bridal store, I got in my car, heading down the street.

I heard my phone vibrate in my purse. I reached down to grab it, answering it before I put it next to my ear. "Yeah?"

"Is that how you answer the phone now?" The voice made a series of shivers run through my veins.

"Sorry. Hello."

"Better." He chuckled quietly. "Are you driving?"

I nodded, despite the fact that he couldn't see it. "Yes, I am."

"Where're you going?" he asked. We've been talking for a little over a week now and we were already becoming casual with each other. Though, it made sense since he called me at least twice a day if not more.

"I'm actually going to a bridal shop." I took a right turn at the next light. I could see the small, cute shop at the corner.

There was a very long pause. "Why?" His voice made it sound like I was doing something terribly wrong.

"To shop with some friends." I pulled into the small parking lot, driving my car into the spot next to Mina's burnt orange Mustang. I twisted the keys towards me, making my Volvo's engine go silent. Thank all the things that are good – like ice cream – that I had good taste in cars – oh, and ice cream. Man, I could go for some Rocky Road right now.

There was another long pause on the end, and I figured he was busy with someone or something. "Why do you need to shop at a bridal store?"

"Well, we need dresses for the wedding, of course. Gosh, Darien, for being so intelligent supposedly, you are incredibly slow when it comes to catching onto things."

I heard a quick chuckle escape through his lips, and then he cleared his throat. I could almost imagine him running his large hands through his silky hair, but not knowing what he looked like impaired the image. "Who's wedding?" He coughed slightly. "I hope it's not yours, Serena."

I literally laughed out loud. "Me? Get married? You've got to be kidding me! No, no, silly man. My friends and I are getting bride's maids dresses, while my other friend is the one in the white."

"Oh!" I swear I could see the brightness of the bulb through my silver phone. I saw Raye pull up in her tiny, dark red Mercedes. She pulled into the space at the end, getting out of her car before she even turned the engine off.

"Serena, why are you on the phone? Come on now. Let's go!" She shook her head at me, waiting at the entrance.

I sighed. Raye is so impatient. "All right, Raye. I'm coming. Look, Darien, my one impatient friend is harrying me inside so I'll have to talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure, sure. I'll have your word on that, right?"

"Yeah. Bye." I slid the phone shut, not letting him get a word in this time. Serena triumphs for the first time!

\--

We succeeded in picking out the perfect dresses when it comes to Mina's tastes. She picked the most gorgeous dress for herself. It was white, of course, and its bottom lightly brushed the floor. It didn't have any sleeves. She enjoys it when her 'girls' are able to keep something up on their own, as she puts it. She bought a pair of matching white gloves that goes up to her elbows, and a long veil that goes down the back and over her face. She looked stunning.

As for the bride's maids, we all had to get matching orange dresses. Orange is Mina's favorite color. Now, she said we all looked good in orange, but that we all had our own defining colors. She stated that I look best in three colors: silver, white, and pink. I couldn't help but agree when she was telling the truth. As much as all of us wanted to wear our 'defining colors', she wouldn't let us, saying it was her wedding and that we all had to wear orange. Thank goodness it wasn't that bright orange color, but the soft, pastel one. I liked that on me. Now, as for the dress, it went down to our knees and had off-the-shoulder sleeves. She got matching bows for our hair, which didn't surprise me since she is always donning a red one almost every day. I had to say that the dresses for us were nice, which they were.

We walked out of the store, all of us heading to our respective cars with bags in our hands. I watched Amy and Lita get into Lita's emerald green Hummer. I guess they came together, which was a shame because Amy had such a nice baby blue BMW. Well, what do you expect from a rising doctor?

Mina was about to get in her car when she turned to look at me. "So, Serena, how's your phone bill holding?"

Damn, I knew I would be safer inside my silver Volvo. I looked at my car, glaring at my reflection, but I put a smile on my face when I answered. "It's fine. How's yours? You know, Kevin doesn't exactly live that close right now."

She shrugged. "That's fine. He pays for it."

I rolled my eyes. I forgot about that. "Why'd you ask?"

She placed her bags in the back seat, not looking at me. "Well, I've just heard a lot of talk from Kevin. He says his boss has been on the phone a lot lately. He told him her name is Serena. Any idea who that may be?"

I knit my eyebrows together. "Wait, where does Kevin work?"

"He's the vice president of Shields Inc., and best friends with the president. Don't you work at Shields Inc. too?"

I could feel my face turn ashen. "Yeah."

"The president's name is Darien Shields, you know that right? Of course, there could be other Serena's working at the place. I mean, it is a global business."

I nodded. "Right."

She smiled at me. "Okay, well, I was just wondering. Oh, and by the way, he's coming to the wedding."

"What?" I could feel my innards freeze.

"Yeah, he's Kevin's best man." She opened her car door to sit in the driver's seat, turning on the ignition. "I just thought you might want to be prepared to be on your best behavior when you meet the president of the company you're working for."

I nodded, opening my car's door as well. "Uh, thanks, Mina. That's very considerate of you."

She smiled. "You're welcome." She back up, shifting gears, and headed out into the streets. I got in my car, closing the door, and immediately gripped the wheel. Shit. I never realized that Mina's fiancé worked for the same company I did. I mean, I knew he was some kind of big shot at the place he worked that, but I completely forgot it was Shields Inc. Damn it!

"At least the wedding is in two months. I'll have some time to prepare by then," I said, trying to comfort myself. I pulled the car into reverse, swinging it around to head out the same way Mina did.

\--

The next few weeks passed normally for me. I never mentioned to Darien whose wedding it was that I was going to nor did he ever mention a wedding he was going to. I believed it was a good thing because if the subject was brought up, I don't know what I'd say. I knew I couldn't get out of this. It was my one of my best friend's wedding. There was no way I could just not go.

Unfortunately, talking to my boss several times a day now wasn't exactly helping the matter. I knew I was crossing the line when it came to the feelings I had towards him. I also knew those feeling would eventually cause problems when I would meet him in a month. I don't even know how he feels about me. We have been talking for over a month now, but it feels like we've know each other for years as cliché as that sounds. For all I know, though, he could be just thinking of me as a friend, and just needs someone to talk to who isn't constantly around him physically. I could be looking into these conversations with him too deeply for my own good. This is my boss in the first place. I don't think it's legal to feel this way towards my boss.

I walked into my office, setting my things down on the desk. It was a start of another week, and I could already tell it was going to be busy. My boss popped her head out of her office.

"Serena, I need you to work on that stack of papers first. Mr. Shields is coming into town in about a month so we need to have everything prepared, okay? Please, don't screw up on anything. The place is already up to here with his arrival," she said, after which she quickly disappeared behind the door again. Her exit was right on cue when the phone rang.

"Hello, this is Mrs. Wright's office. This is Ms. Silver speaking. What can I do for you?" I answered. The greeting was like second nature to me now.

"Good morning, Serena."

"Morning." I looked at the clock on my computer. "You timing is always so impeccable. What do you want?"

He laughed. "You're never the morning person, are you?"

"No, I'm not. I'm more of a at least ten o'clock person." I picked up the papers Mrs. Wright wanted me to work on, shifting through them to see what they're were for.

"Yeah, I know. Anyway. I wanted to warn you ahead of time about my coming to town in about a month," he said, but then was interrupted by a series of voices in the background. I waited for him to come back. "Sorry."

"It's fine, and I already know about you coming."

"You do?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. I do work at your company, and it's not like people don't talk here."

He chuckled. "You're right." The voice came back, causing Darien to use his serious voice on them. "I have to go. We'll talk about this later." He hung up.

I looked at the phone, not knowing what else there was to talk about. I shrugged, setting the phone back on its receiver, and got to work.

\--

Later that night, when I was about to start making dinner, my phone rang. I had a feeling who it was. I picked up the phone. "Hi."

"Hi yourself. How's your evening going?" Darien asked.

"It's okay. Yours?"

"It's not evening yet here."

"Oh, that's right. Sorry."

Darien went silent for a few seconds before clearing his throat. "Serena, we need to talk."

I sat down on my couch. "About what?"

"You know I'm coming to town in a few weeks."

"Yeah."

"Well, I was tossing around the idea of it being permanent."

I leaned back, resting my feet on the small coffee table. "Okay. Why's that?"

There was a pause on the other end. "You don't know?"

"Um, am I supposed to?" He was beginning to confuse me.

He sighed. "Serena, I don't know what you think about me, but I know what I think about you. This isn't a normal work relationship or even just a friend relationship we have."

"Uh… okay? I'm confused."

"What I mean, Serena, is that there's more to this. For the past few weeks, the only thing I've been able to think about is the conversations we've had or the conversations we will have. Look, I don't know what you think about me like I said, but I want to be honest with you. I want more than just these phone calls. I want more from you than just friendship. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I let out a weak, trembling breath. I've been waiting to hear that. "Y-Yes."

"What are your thoughts on the matter?"

I sighed. "Darien, I-I feel the same way. I know you're my boss and all and that these phone calls were supposed to be innocent, but I couldn't help but feel more. I'm sorry."

He chuckled. "There's nothing to be sorry about, Serena."

"You're sure? I didn't mean for this to happen, but I couldn't help but fall for you."

I could hear the smile in his voice, a voice I came to know so much about. "And I, you."

I smiled. "I'm glad."

"Me, too," he said. "Now that we've got that out of the way, we need to talk about my arrival."

"Okay. Shoot."

"I want to meet you. I'll be coming late Saturday night and I have a wedding to go to on Sunday, but I want to see you on Monday. I could pick you up at your office, and we could go out for lunch. What do you say?"

Just that I'll be seeing you at that wedding. "Um, that sounds fine, Darien."

"You sound unsure."

I looked up at the ceiling, swallowing loudly. "No, I-I'm okay."

"No, you're not. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I swear." I tried making my voice sound stronger than I felt. In a way, I wish he hadn't of told me now because it gives my nerves plenty of time to get worked up, but then again, I'm glad he did because it gives me a good amount of time to get prepared to meet him.

"Look, Serena, I know you're nervous about meeting me. I'm nervous too."

"About meeting yourself?" It's my horrible attempt at making myself seem all right.

He chuckled. "About meeting you, silly."

"What if you don't like me?" I said, whispering. "What if I'm not pretty enough for you?"

He sighed. "Serena, I don't need a picture to know how beautiful you are. Your voice places the perfect image in my head. I've fallen in love with your voice and your personality. Your looks will simply be a bonus. I love you, angel, and nothing will change that."

A tear slipped down my cheek. This was too good to be true. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I can only hope you will." There were more voices on his end. "Well, I need to get to my meeting. I'll call you tomorrow. Goodnight, Serena." The line went dead. I slid my phone shut, getting up from the couch. I went into my room, deciding I was no longer hungry, and went to bed.

\--

There was a knock on my front door. "Serena, open up!"

More knocks followed. "Come on, Serena! We know you're in there!"

"Serena, it's Lita. Girl, if you don't open this door in thirty seconds, I'm going to kick it down."

My head rose from the couch, looking at the door. I threw my feet onto the floor, rising while wrapping my pink blanket around my body. I shuffled over to the door where I opened it, seeing Lita just about to raise her leg. I looked at her strangely.

"Were you seriously going to kick it down?" I asked, eyeing her.

My four best friends glared at me. Mina stepped forward, pushing me to the side to let them in. We gathered in my living room, and I waited for the lectures to begin.

Mina turned towards me. "Sit," she said, motioning to the couch. My friends stood in a line in front of the muted television. "What's been up with you? You've been locked in this apartment all week, hardly answering your phone. Why?"

I crossed my legs on the white couch. "I didn't feel like talking to anyone."

"Not even your best friends? Serena, we've been worried," Amy said, a sad look on her small face.

"Yeah, girl, the first few days, we thought you just needed some space, but after a week, we really started to worry. Did something happen?" Lita asked, sitting next to me.

I saw Raye walk over to my cell phone. She picked it up to look at the screen. "Hmm, 315 missed calls from Darien Shields. That's a lot."

Mina looked at me. "Darien Shields?" I looked away, nodding. "But you said you weren't…" A look of realization crossed her features. "You lied to me."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Mina. I didn't know what to think at that point."

Mina walked over to Raye, taking my phone from her. She looked through the contents of my phone. "You're inbox in full. Text messages all from Darien Shields. Oh, and you have 54 voicemails. Let's listen to one, shall we?" She dialed my voicemail, putting the phone on speaker.

'You have 54 new messages. First message: Serena, it's Darien… again. Where are you? Why aren't you answering your phone? Is everything okay? I called the office. Mrs. Wright said you've been out all week for personal reasons. Why? Is everything okay with your family?' There was a pause. 'Is this about what we talked about on Monday? Serena, it's okay. Look, we still have three weeks. I told you in advance so you'd be ready to meet me. I know you're nervous, but just trust me. I love you, angel. Please, answer the phone. I miss hearing your voice. End of message. To delete, press seven, save, press nine.'

Mina hit the end button, sliding the phone shut. She looked at me. "I think we deserve an explanation, Serena." She looked down at my phone, not looking back up. "All of us."

I sighed, knowing there wasn't a way out of this one. "Mina, I'm sorry I lied to you about Darien. I really am. When you asked about him, we had only been talking for a week at the time. We were becoming friends. But as the weeks went by, I found myself listening to his voice in a new way. I couldn't wait for his calls. I couldn't wait to know what we would talk about. It was distracting in every way. I knew what was happening by then. I was falling in love with the voice of my boss."

"Just his voice?" Lita asked with confusion on her face.

I smiled. "No, well, yes, but no. I was falling in love with my boss in every way. Sorry."

Lita shrugged. "S'okay."

"Anyway. Then, this past Monday, Darien told me he was coming to town in about a month."

"Which you already knew," Mina said, pointing out the obvious. She had returned to standing in front of my television with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, I knew, but I didn't say anything."

"So you just let a month pass without filling him in that you knew he was coming to town. I'm sure you haven't even told him you'll be at the wedding either, have you?"

"No, I haven't. I thought it would help my nerves if I didn't tell him I was going, and I wanted to surprise him. You see, Mina, this past Monday, we both confessed our feelings for each other."

"Well, that voicemail made that a little obvious. He did say he loved you," Mina said, shaking her head.

I rose from the couch, frustration started to eat away at my neutral feelings. "What's wrong with you, Mina? You're here asking me about my personal life like not telling you is the worst kind of sin. I'm sorry I lied to you. I know that was wrong, but you don't have to come here to my home treating me like some child. I'm not a toddler who took a cookie out of the cookie jar without permission, Mina. This is my life."

Mina seemed to freeze on spot and melt in the next second. She sighed, sitting on the couch on my other side. She put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Serena. I don't mean to act like this." She looked up at me, tears brimming in her sky blue eyes. "I'm just so stressed out with this wedding. On our way here, I kept telling myself not to take it out on you, but I ended up doing it anyway." She placed her head back in her hands, sighing loudly.

I patted her on the back and took her hands away from her face. "Everything is going to work out, Mina. This wedding is going to turn out beautifully. I promise. You've done a wonderful job on the preparation. Nothing can be perfect, but in your heart your wedding will be."

"You think so?" she asked.

I nodded. "Absolutely."

She smiled, turning to hug me. "Thanks, babe." After a few seconds passed, she let go, throwing her legs up onto my coffee table. She grabbed the remote. "What's on TV, girls?"

"I was watching Gilmore Girls, but it's almost over now," I said, kind of mad I missed the most of the episode.

Mina smiled, turning on the DVD player. "You do have all seven seasons. It's Friday. We could start with season one and be finished by Sunday. What do you guys say?"

Amy and Raye made themselves comfortable on the chairs, while Mina, Lita and I made ourselves at home on the couch. I reached for the phone. "Who wants Chinese?"

"We do!" the girls said in unison, and I dialed the number. After our order was put in, I decided it wouldn't hurt to send Darien a text to let him know I was okay.

"Mina, can I have my phone for a second?" I asked her since it was next to her. She nodded, handing it to me.

I slide the phone open, typing away. 'Hey, it's Serena. Sorry about not answering the phone this past week. I needed time, but I'm okay now. I'm spending the weekend with the girls, but I'll call you on Monday. I love you, too. Have a nice weekend, and don't forget to breathe.' I hit the send button, shoving the phone under my leg. It took about thirty seconds until my phone vibrated with his reply.

'I'm glad to hear from you. Have fun, and I can't wait till Monday.' I smiled at his simply response. I was able to enjoy the weekend now.

\--

It was the big day, Mina's wedding. I knew Darien would be in town by now since he told me last time I talked to him that he would be landing late last night. I kept with my plan of not telling him about me being at the wedding, and it was definitely helping. The butterflies in my stomach only had medium sized wings instead of the enormous ones I anticipated if I would have told him.

The girls and I were in our own dressing rooms while Mina was next door. I already had my dress on, and I was currently typing the ribbon in my hair. Mina relented having us wear the normal one big ribbon that she usually wore, and let us wear cheerleader type ribbons instead. It looked a lot better, trust me.

Mina snuck into our room. "I need help." Her face was red, and we knew instantly she was having a panic attack: Mina style.

I reached for her arm, leading her over to a chair. She sat down obediently, fanning her face with her gloved hands. "Mina, breathe. You're okay. The place looks great. You look better. Everything is going to be beautiful."

She looked up at me. "I know, Serena, I know. I just… I just need to get a good grip on my stomach."

I laughed. "So do I."

She smiled. "Yes, that's right. Oh, my. Look, I've been picturing you and Darien in my mind ever since I found out. I think you two will be the perfect couple."

I grabbed her shoulders. "You know what he looks like?"

She laughed, pointing her finger at me. "You're worried, aren't you? I knew it!"

I threw my hands up in the air. "Of course, I am! I don't know anything about him physically. What if he's forty years my senior or something? What if he's really fat and disgusting? What if his voice is the only pleasant thing about him?"

"'And what if the sky turns to fire and your nose falls off?'" Mina smiled, a look of amusement in her eyes.

"Thanks, Grandmother Willow," I said sarcastically.

She giggled. "I'm glad I'm not the only one losing it here. Serena, I have to admit that I've never actually met Darien in person, but I know he's not forty years your senior. Kevin told me he's a really nice guy with an incredible brain. Of course, Kevin didn't tell me if he's good looking or not, but just trust your heart, Serena. What do you honestly think he'll be like?"

I sighed, glancing over at the mirror on the wall. "I think he'll be everything I ever imagined."

"Good. Trust that." She rose from the chair, going towards the door. "Well, I need to get back. We got five minutes until show time."

I smiled at my best friend. "You're going to do great." She glared, and I put my hands in front of me. "No pressure." She laughed, closing the door behind her. I turned towards my other best friends. "I could definitely go for another round of advice," I said, folding my hands over my stomach.

\--

It was my turn to walk down the aisle. Mina said he was Kevin's best man so he should be to Kevin's immediate left. I slowly walked towards the door, following my cue in the music. I swear the hallway grew longer and longer the closer I got there. My eyes were playing tricks on me. I sucked in a deep breath as I reached the door, placing one foot in front of the other as I entered the room. I let out the breath, automatically placing a big smile on my face. I kept my eyes on the girls standing in a line on the left side in the church. As Mina's maid of honor, I would be at the front. I didn't dare look over at Kevin's side because I was ready yet. I took my place next to Raye, facing the entrance.

The bride's song played, and I waited for Mina to step through the door. This was her moment, and I wasn't going to ruin it with my own love life. Right as Mina approached the door, the crowd stood, watching her every move. She looked beautiful as she reached Kevin, smiling at him the whole time.

Mina and Kevin exchanged their vows, kissing sweetly at the preacher's cue. The started their way down the aisle, and I knew it was my turn to follow with the best man, Darien. I lifted my head, looking at the man across from me. I thought time switched to slow motion as my eyes clashed with his. He had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. They were a deep, midnight blue that could almost be mistaken for black. I examined his remarkable face with its perfect bone structures and full lips. My eyes traveled to his raven black hair that shined at every possible angle, and I knew if I ran my fingers through it, every strand would feel like the finest silk. I glanced quickly over his body covered in a black suit. He was tall. I guessed 6'2". I knew that every piece of clothing hid his sculpted muscles. I smiled brilliantly, knowing he was exactly what I pictured him to be physically. I stepped forward, entwining my arm with his. We turned towards the crowd, gracefully walking the same path as Mina and Kevin.

Darien leaned down towards my ear. "You look beautiful, Serena."

I snapped my face up to look at him, shock written clearly on my face. He smiled at me, and looked forward as we reached the door. When we were clear from the view of the crowd, Darien, instead of releasing my arm, he pulled me into his own strong arms, crushing my small body to him. He ran his fingers through my hair, and I could have sworn he sniffed my hair too.

"Oh, Serena, you're exactly what I thought you'd be." He smiled, pulling back only slightly to look at my face. "You in there, love?"

I blinked, trying to put my feet on the floor. "Uh… how… how did you know it was me?"

The smiled didn't leave his face for a second. "Your heart knows more than your mind. Remember that."

"That your answer, honestly?" I said doubtfully.

"Yes, it is. When you walked in the room, I had a feeling it was you." His smiled widen. "But Kevin confirmed it when he told me your name."

"Ah, I knew it." I smirked. "I love you, Darien."

He chuckled, unintentionally letting the sound send a series of pleasurable shivers down my spine. "I love you, too, angel." There was one of his famous pauses. "Are you happy, Serena?"

I shook my head. "Not yet." I smiled, grabbed a fist full of his silky hair, and pulled his lips down to mine where we sealed our future a year later as husband and wife.

-THE END-


End file.
